I have really mixed feelings about what to say bout the landmark Coachhouse. Â While I value greatly the opportunity to see live music and acts at affordable rates.. MAN this place has terrible food and the service (once again) was not stellar.
We got discounted tix on Goldstar,.. great price.. for one of my favorite tribute bands around Desperado. We arrived shortly before opening act with very few decent seats left ( out fault) .. but we did not really wan tot eat there adn take another hour to buy overpriced mediocre food either.. .we ran short on time to feed ourselves so we were kinda stuck. or starved. Â
1) ordered nachos,  margaritas  (indicaeing this was to start)
2) then promptly asked her right back to get our salad order ( figuring we better get it in w/ the placed  packed.. noticed her hands were full, asked if she would be able to remember... she are assured me yes of course.. well nope. we were served no salad.. cold soggy nachos.. and the worst margaritas I have ever had )
3) long after we were done and very dry (in part cuz we couldnt get a simple glass of water we had to BUY IT!  ) .. she came back and upon mentioning the missing salad and we said no worries just take it off  she was polite enough, but then about  20 min later it arrives.. we said no we didnt want it at his point.. (we were very done with the overdue. overpriced meal)  t was just nutty and weird.
4) the food has always been subpar.. but people go for the music. the service is  usually only so so (I know its tricky when its loud AND its a very busy night, but still!)
5) I couldnt step a single foot outside to get a 1 minute breath of  cool air I was shoooed back inside Â
6) the opening act..was pretty mediocre too .. Â Fleetwood Max out of S Digeo.. sorry I know everyone wlrs hard, but they seemed off beat, off key for the better part of the set.
I would like to see CH improve on drinks and the food. Â Id rather pay a bit more if need be and have a nicer overall experience. Â
I recommend just getting wine or beer.. the mixed drinks were really bad.
Redeeming factor.:  hearing Desperado again ..Ive been too long riding fences. and missed them...They are every bit as good at singing  and playing as the Eagles themselves.
I enjoy the atmosphere here. The music is good, the salads are good, the staff are friendly and fun. I think if they removed one chair from each side of the tables to make more room for us, that would be better. Fortunately, I don't mind meeting new people and chatting with them, but for a tall or overweight person, it could be uncomfortable. The autographed photos on the wall are great to look at it. A very impressive collection, that's for sure! I will continue to visit here as I know what to expect and really do like it and enjoy myself!
Review Source:95% of the place is dinner so while they say "dinner seats are closer" , your mileage may vary.
The sound is maybe only moderate, depending on the band the sound may exceed the acoustics of the building and it gets muddy. Â
It is seriously mediocre bar food, avoid getting the "special" Â it's not worth it. Stick to the jalapeno poppers and fried cheese at least you know what to expect.
I am about to laugh my behindy off at The Coach House for the second time because my first was a blast. It is easily accessible right off the 5 freeway , although hidden in a parking lot. The food wasn't nearly as good as the entertainment, but I won't plan on eating, just drinking and cracking up.
Patty
BAD ventilation - take your WINTER JACKET.
My girlfriend took me there last night to see a stand-up comedy act/show. Â The show was actually VERY GOOD - I give them 5 stars and I had a great time.
The reason I give the place 1 star:  Unfortunately the wind storm in the place made it very uncomfortable.  It wasn't too hot or too cold, but the ventilation was so WINDY I had to take the risk of going out to my car (past the crudely-constructed "no re-entry" sign) to retrieve my jacket.  The napkins laying on the table had to be secured - they were literally flying off the table.  We asked our waitress about it and she didn't/wouldn't  offer any other place to sit - only saying something to the tune that we'll appreciate the wind storm after the show gets started.  *** SORRY the wind storm was NOT appreciated any more after the evening got going.***
The place is easy to get to and parking is both free and plentiful.
The tables are very narrow and I'm sure designed that way to pack more of an audience there. Â Chairs were uncomfortable after a while.
We were able to make a pretty good meal by asking our waitress to add this/remove that from the dishes we ordered. Â The waitress we had was very attentive and accommodating with our food & drinks considering the number of people she was serving.
Somehow the fact that this place can hold a lot of people (I'm guessing ~350-450) and that it's in South Orange County without any other place which can hold so many people, they can attract great talent and pack in the audience. Â However, if you have a chance to see the same performers at ANOTHER location, I suggest you spend a few more bucks and drive a little more to enjoy yourself a LOT more. Â The st and-up act we saw, for example, I'm sure will be at a place like the Improv, which I would highly recommend over the Coach House.
This place could not be worse. We had reservations and when we got there and were seated we were facing away from the stage. When we asked how to get facing the stage the guy who seated us said we had to book earlier, we booked about a month in advance, or do it "Vegas style", basically asking for a bribe. Screw you. Be honest here folks, if there are better seats available, offer them for sale at a higher price.
So our waitress shows up and takes our order and the people around us. When the drink order came it was wrong and after asking her twice for the right thing I went to the bar to get what we'd ordered. When I got back to the table another waitress was there taking our order and saying that she would be the new server. We asked about her about our credit cards that we'd given to the other server and she said she'd see if she could find them. What! I almost went online and cancelled my card right then.
We finally found out that our first server had come in to work "intoxicated" and was fired and sent home. Great. So needless to say the service was very slow since someone had to take her tables and their original ones.
The food? Basic sustenance is all I'd call it. It would power your body but it's certainly not something you could possibly enjoy.
How was the concert? The acoustics of the place totally blow. Horrible mix, completely flat, and constantly getting mic feedback make the band hard to listen to. The band was great, we could tell that and we've seen them before, it's just the venue that is terrible.
You couldn't pay me to return to this place.
The band was GREAT (Mavericks 3/23/13), but everything else was pretty terrible. It took over 90 minutes to get our drinks. Had we ever been there before, we would have known to ignore Halley's Waitress and just go directly to the bar. They are completely incapable of providing even minimum service for a "supper club", or whatever it is they're trying to operate, and the table set-up is really, really weird. But the band was fantastic, so I'm probably remembering the experience a little better than it actually was. Two stars for the venue probably over-stating it. Wouldn't go there again -- unless, of course, I could see The Mavericks again! Then I'd be all over it.
Review Source:This place is absolutely horrible. period the end. Seriously all, any band you see here can be seen elsewhere, and I will NEVER go back. I HAVE never ever had issues with bouncers in my life, and the A&*holes who bounce there are F&*$ing ridiculous. Worst place I've ever been hands down.
Review Source:I'm in my 40s, and have been going to live music venues since I was a teenager. This is one of my favorite places. It kills me that I live in San Diego, although I still make the trek up there at least two or three times a year.
I love the musicians they bring in. Lots of big name groups I liked from the 60s and 70s. I've gone there for the cheesy tribute bands (Wild Child, and the surprisingly fun Queen Nation).
The owner and doormen are all super nice. I've never seen a nicer group of people when it comes to meeting the bands after the shows. Here's an example. I got off work late, and drove up there to try and see Donovan. I was so late, he had only 15 minutes left on stage (it was his encore). The doorman just let me in without paying.
He did this for another musician a few years earlier when I was super late.
And that was perfect for buying a CD and having it signed by Donovan afterwards, which a lot of musicians do there.
I used to drive up a few times a year to see Stan Ridgway (Wall of Voodoo/Mexican Radio fame), because he often skipped San Diego. The acoustics are great when bands play their slow numbers.
One time I had a problem with my drink (I won't go into details, it's not important), and they comped our dinner and gave us tickets to any upcoming show we wanted to see (we went with Love and The Zombies, two 60s bands I dig).
These guys really know how to run a business. And it was always fun to get the free tickets on their mailing list if you get the trivia questions right.
Also, this is a venue that is great for under 21, since they serve food, they can go see live bands they wouldn't be able to see at other venues (it's why I used to come here often as a teenager)
I've come here many times for shows but never eaten here and say DON'T eat here. Totally overpriced and not worth it. My beer was 6.50 too wtf . I ordered the veggie plate and it was literally steamed vegetates with no flavor and some rice for 10 dollars . The waitress also sucked she was busy and I had to flag her down to order, and for my check . This place is a mess. But I like some bands that come through so I will be back but never waste 30 on a unsatisfying meal . A beer a water and tasteless vegetates for 30 dollars .
Review Source:The two stars are for the performers only. They really are a 5, but I don't want anyone to get confused.
First the tables/chairs.. Omg.. If your a little person perfect.. That was the longest skinniest table I've ever seen. Hopefully you don't get your meal the same time as your neighbor across the table because it barely will fit.
Now to the server Christine, I want to hope and pray she was just having a bad night or two really long tables are way to much to handle for her. She was very rude and we were skipped over more than once just to place are order. No people skills at ALL! She even was very short and treated the food runners as if they were so beneath her if they had a question. So not right!
The food... Not very warm/hot. Afraid to send it back because of the server. Our neighbors across the 16 inch table sent back their coffee drinks every single time she brought them one.... Hello ...check the coffee maker or bring them out faster!
The sound system was wayyyyyy to loud. The place is not huge... It doesn't need that volume.
Would I go again. I would have to stand in line for a long time because I wouldn't eat there! And the band or stand up act would have to be extra special!
Saw Donovan Frankenreiter on New Years Eve. The venue was freezing. My girlfriend wore here jacket all night and so did most of the other patrons. Waitress with gloves and a scarf on. Seating at long family style tables was not very comfortable. Food was not vey good but yet very expensive. $30 for a filet that I could make better myself. Â My girlfriend had the chicken special and thought it was good but overpriced for what it was. $5.00 for a Budweiser. C'mon man! Decided to switch to Jamison and Coke at $8.00 a piece. Drinks were some of the weakest I have ever had.
So this is called a Concert Hall. They seat everybody at tables as you would for a comedy club. I thought this was fine for the dinner part of the night, thinking they would move a couple of tables so there would be some kind of dance floor. They didn't move one table. So you are basically stuck at your table sitting down, because standing up blocks everyone's view. It was New Years Eve. I think people would have loved to be able to dance or stand up and move closer to the music. At least the sound was decent. Waitress was nice. Bartenders grumpy. Did I mention freezing. Weak mixed drinks. Expensive everything. Hard to get a cab.
Donavan and the opening acts were good. We still had a good time despite everything because it was NYE. This was one of the worst places I have ever seen a show and won't attend another.
The great nights at the Coach House continue. Â The girls night with Dana Carvey was a huge success! Â What a perfect venue for a comedy show.
The crowd was very welcoming and the mood was uplifting. Â There were 8 of us; and we were not the only "girls night group" that seized the opportuntiy to have a fun-filled evening with outstanding entertainment, Â steaks that melted in our mouths, and chocolate desserts to satisfy any sweet tooth.
This was the second time the eight of us met at the Coach House for comedy. Â We all laughed together a few months ago with the "Funniest Housewives of Orange County." This too, was a great time for all.
The line-up is getting better each month at this historic  Orange County night spot!  If you have a hankering for OC tradition, meeting wonderful "new friends", great music and comedy, amazing steaks, salads, appetizers, and desserts, and an opportunity to meet the artists after the show:
GO to the Coach House and have a great time!
I was here this past Sunday to see the beautiful Anuhea perform. It is a pretty good sized venue with a lot of seating (they even have booths) and great views of the elevated stage. It seems like they have local talent open for the main show. We got to see a couple of acts that need a lot of work, but do have plenty of potential.
Lighting is decent here and they really focus on the show, rather than emphasizing on the rest of the place. It looks a bit dated, but with that, it has its charm. Kind of an old school feel, but I wish they'd take out the carpet or at least change it because it was looking quite grimey!
I was able to try the nachos, which I really didn't want, but the waitress kept coming by and I felt bad. Not because she was pressuring me, but because she was really nice and just wanted us to feel comfortable. For $9, it was a big disappointment. Melted cheese, jalapenos, sour cream, and black olives over tortilla chips. I hate black olives!! They overpowered the rest of the flavors and the cheese wasn't the kind of nacho cheese that stays at least somewhat liquidy. It solidified and made everything stick together. Fix this please! The rest of the menu was overprice as well. I'm not knocking this place because of the price, but for the quality of the food. I know that these types of venues have higher prices to keep show tickets cheaper and to keep the venue open for more shows!
It is a little bit difficult to locate Coach House because it is in a little strip mall behind some bigger buildings. You can come early for your show to eat, but I'd advise against it. You can afford to miss the opening acts and subpar food.
It's first and foremost a music venue. It's small, intimate, hot, crowded, serves stiff drinks, and passable bar food. Nothing more, nothing less. The wait staff are nice and relatively speedy. My one beef is the fact it's all seating at tables. There's no wandering around and not much dancing. You're more or less stuck at your table all evening. Speaking of which, you can make reservations, but it's not necessary. Just get there at least an hour before the show starts and you should be fine.
I honestly don't understand the negative reviews for this place. What are people expecting from a music venue? Pretty much anything in L.A. or New York is hotter, dirtier, more expensive, and more crowded. It's part of the "charm."
WHY DO I KEEP COMING HERE??!!
oh that's right. because it's apparently the only venue my brother's teenage band plays at. moving on...
this place SUCKS. it's open dinner seating on long, narrow tables. if you aren't in a group of at least 4 people, you'll be knee to knee with creepily plastic older women [which may be your thing, but it is not mine]. $30 for $4 bottles of wine. actually, everything is overpriced. $6 for Budeiser in a bottle?? you've got to be kidding me. and then there's the service! you have to practically stand on the table river dancing naked with hundred dollar bills stuffed into your mouth to get their attention. when you finally do, double up on your drinks, because she won't be back for about 30 minutes. if you aren't in the mood to wait for your waitress, you can walk the 15 feet behind everything to the Coach house Bar! where they only accept cash! and they won't add it to your tab with the waitress! cool, thanks. and if you get a little too drunk on your $6 buds, your waitress "cannot" bring you tap water. she's not allowed to. so trot back to the bar & get dirty looks for your free water. there is absolutely no dance floor, so people will get up directly in front of your line of sight & just dance right there. the food sucks, the drinks are over priced, and the service blows.
the sound is decent. fin.
Great place to see an impromptu performance by a musician - as long as noone else knows about the appearance.
Otherwise, this place BLOWS. Â In any fairness, it is a modern roadhouse. It hasn't changed for decades. Â For *** sakes, clean the place up, paint the walls, and if you're not going to turn on the a/c; then buy a fan for every door. Because a cold beer doesn't make the sweat rolling down your back go away.
I've heard that the owner of the Coach House is in his seventies.  That  must explain why the place was as warm as my grandmother's nursing home.  Even John Hiatt, who was playing that night, said "it sure is toasty in here".  I saw a lot of unhappy looking people suffering through the heat.  I'll never be back in the summer (maybe January).
One positive note: Â they have a good sound system.
If we'd only gone for the show, this would have been a four-star rating. The venue is intimate, but NOT air conditioned. Several big overhead fans could have been circulating air, but were off.
We made dinner reservations to ensure we got a good seat--and we did--but a couple who didn't make reservations, and showed up THREE HOURS after us (right before the show) sat directly in front of us.
The dinner tables were narrow, and instead of sitting across from your dinner partner, we were seated next to each other, which meant we sat across a very narrow table from complete strangers. Note to self: go in groups of four. Drinks, even bottles of Kirkland water, were $3, which is fine, but the price isn't listed on the menu and there are no refills.
What bothered me most about the whole thing is that neither their website nor the kind lady on the phone who booked our dinner reservations mentioned it was NOT first come, first served. We had reserved dinner seats, and had we known that, we would not have shown up when doors opened, four HOT, cramped hours before the show started.
Would I go here again? Yes, but I'd do it completely differently.
This review is mostly for the venue. I will continue to come here for the bands I like but I want you newbies to know what to expect.
Concert Hall? More like a barn. Â It's an old wooden building and it is just a very miserable experience during the summer. Â The only thing that is good about the Coach House is they bring in very good local and well known bands.
I was here last week for a show and it was just short of agonizing. The "concert hall" is a very large room comprised of many long rows of tables and rickety, tiny, wobbly old chairs. They will not give you complimentary water and although the owner charges Disneyland prices ($3.50) for the smallest bottled waters manufactured, he hasn't made any effort to provide air conditioning. He's even too cheap to allow staff to turn on the few ceiling fans for just a smidgen of air flow. We were in shorts, short sleeved shirts and flip flops and were sweating as if we were in a sauna from 6pm-midnight.
Oh, I just remembered this too, although the bathrooms have seat cover holders they don't provide any. You would think even this savings would motivate the owner to put in an AC. unit. Think again.
As for the food, eat SOMEWHERE ELSE before you get there for the show. The food is lousy and yep, you guessed it, overpriced as well.
**Before you drink anything from a glass check it for lip prints. My glass had that on it and when I went to the bar for a clean one, I noticed many of the glasses hanging from the glass rack had the same issue. Don't trust them to get you a clean one either. Instead of washing the glass, the bartender just wiped it with a dry cloth.**
It's simple people...go there with low or no expectations and you will not be disappointed. Â Act like you are something special and this is a Las Vegas hotel opening of their newest dinner theater and your life will be permanently altered to a sour side.
I organized a group of 10 people to go there for the Real Housewives of Orange County Comedy show. Â Four aged (50-76) chicks with great styles and great material delivered a show with howling laughter for nearly 1000 people in the crowd.
If you come here to eat or for the booze, you are one really stupid person and deserve what you get. Â We all bought Goldstar tickets so it was great for having spent $13 per person. Â Great entertainment. Â
The show does not start on time, so there is no reason to try and get here early or even on time. Â You probably have at least 30 minutes after the advertised starting time before the show starts.
Lots of old people in the crowd - you betcha there is - We got the money, kiddies - Tweet that. Â Old single guys wake up - Â lots of old divorcees running in packs. Â Some may have houses. Â Pack your pills and your dreams, dudes, and go there.
So much for the impact of Yelpers with their 1 and 2 star reviews. Â The place is packed and rocking without you. Â This may not be the place for the shallow and self-indulgent crowd as it must be very intimidating to be around so many responsible, American OC residents.
Every few years I go to a concert at The Coach House and always leave reminded why it is that I hate this place, swearing that I will never go back. Â
I'm convinced they water down their booze. Â I have to say allegedly because I don't know for sure - but I watched the bartender make me several cocktails (mostly ice) and saw how much alcohol he put into the glass. Â What I tasted was watered down coke. Â Thirty dollars worth of booze and not so much as a buzz? Â Do yourself a favor and order beer in a bottle - they can't screw with that.
But the biggest problem with The Coach House is the staff. Â Their staff, for the most part, are terrible. Â They talk down to customers. Â At times they remind me of prison guards talking to inmates. Â Example: Â After the conclusion of a show that I recently attended a young lady who was sitting in front reached up and took the band's setlist which had been left on the stage. Â I've been collecting setlists for years. Â They make a great souvenir especially if you can get the band to autograph them. Â Unfortunately for this young lady (she looked about 18 and was tiny) a member of The Coach House staff who resembled an ogre came over and screamed at her to put it back. Â When she asked him why she couldn't take it he leaned over, got his fat ass in her face and screamed and cursed at her. Â He got so red in the face I thought he was going to have a stroke. Â This jerk was seriously about twice the size of this little girl - it was truly pathetic. Â The girl looked like she was about to cry which I'm sure made this guy feel like a big man.
A few years ago I went to see an artist do an intimate, acoustic performance at The Coach House. Â A few songs into the set I hear a woman talking. Â Not just talking quietly but trying to TALK OVER the music. Â I looked around to find out who it was and saw one of the waitresses talking to the bartender. Â I walked up to her and politely informed her that she was a bit loud and I could hear more of her than the person on stage. Â She had to nerve to give me a dirty look and walked away. Â Five minutes later she's back and doing the same thing. Â This time I was less polite and told her to shut the fuck up. Â Several of the other patrons saw what was going on and actually applauded me. Â After the show I found (who I was told) was the manager and told him about his obnovious waitress. Â His response was "well, the shows over now, what do you want me to do?" Â
This seems to be the general attitude of the staff members that I have encountered when I've been to The Coach House. Â If your favorite band is playing there do yourself a favor and see them at another venue. Â And DO contact the band via their website, facebook, manageer, etc and let them know that you would love to see them perform but WILL NOT go to The Coach House because of their shameful treatment of patrons.
Ahhh the Coach House. This is an OC (if not LA) staple and I've now been a couple times. Kids... this place is OLD. By that I mean that the average age of the patrons is probably 55. Can you handle that? If so, read on...
Imagine a place that you might call a "road house" with an OC twist, stuck in the back of a bunch of auto-body repair shops and you will start to have a picture of the atmosphere. Seating is long shared tables with crappy chairs. Yes, drink up because your back will hurt otherwise!
This is an artist's venue. If you are too loud the patrons will "shhh" you and the staff may ask you to leave. I learned my lesson the first time there. We were in the back of the venue by the bar and apparently even that was too loud. Go there to sip some wine or beer and listen to the music. Don't go to dance or talk to your friends.
Their performers are among the best in the country and it seems that every major act in LA comes through the Coach House at some point in their career. You will get a great feel for the artist since the place is maybe 50' deep.
Will I go back? SURE! Cheap admission, free parking and intimate performances make this a venue that you must try once at least. If you can get over the aged, low-rent feel, you will love it!
Tucked away in the historic district of San Juan Capistrano, the Coach House has been around for a long time. Â So long that I feel like I am stepping back in time to another place. Â It is a little bit of good, a little bit of bad. Â
Character wise, Coach House has it. Â A multitude of signed pictures on the wall, memorabilia everywhere, dim lighting, and the feeling that there could be an all out bar fight at any moment. Â Seated in long rows of cafeteria seating, there are a lot of good views of the stage, which is the only reason we came down here in the first place.
The food here is nothing special, in fact, unless you are making an entire evening out of it, I would skip it all together. Â You are not going to get tight service here, and the menu is not going to blow your mind. Â So I would suggest bringing cash, and using it for stiff drinks. Â
Overall the lighting and acoustics are well done here! Â You can see some wicked shows for a very reasonable price, and you can do it sitting down. Â If you come in with that mentality, you will do fine here. Â
3 Stars
On the basis that this is pretty much the only place to catch live music from non-cover, non-dueling-piano bands in south OC, Coach House gets 4 stars. It's tucked away in an industrial part of town, but right off the freeway and parking is a cinch.
You'll be impressed with the scores of pictures of bands that have played here, many of which you will not recognize, but here and there you'll see a familiar face. Chances are that the band you're there to see isn't in the Top 40 mix from your radio anyway, but it can still be great music nonetheless. The place feels like a converted stable, complete with is-that-half-a-car? memorabilia and western-themed kitsch.
Tables are set up cafeteria-style, which also foreshadows the quality of food you're going to get. Come here for a meal and you're sure to be disappointed. Drinks are stiff, ticket prices are cheap, and with an enthusiastic crowd this place can be the perfect setting for your good time.
I've been going here for years. Â I've witnessed some amazing shows over those years. Â The place is covered with photos of musical artists, comedians, and other stars. Â You are surrounded by history!
Now, the food is not very impressive. Â And they really should think of changing the menu, but I have some amazing memories from this place. Â The Coach House is a place to see an intimate show in such a cool and small venue. Â They used to have burgers on the menu but they've taken it off. Â I wish they would put it back on the menu. Â And I've had some really good service as well. Â especially when you to get there early for dinner you can actually interact with the servers and they're quite knowledgeable and friendly.
The Coach House is a good solid 4 stars.
Peter Murphy ROCKED, but the sound SUCKED.
Sorry, Coach House, but a major UGH at the sound quality.
Seating makes little sense for a rock concert. It also made it a bit difficult to get up and dance, which the performers wanted us to. Many people were disgruntled about not being able to see over those who danced.
In all, I would see a mellow hippie concert here, or (if I liked country) country music, but definitely NOT a rock and roll place.
I agree that there's an entire world of valid reasons why this place doesn't have a four star and up average, but I don't think it deserves the two star average either. Have you seen the walls downstairs and upstairs? It's full of history! I feel like I'm vandalizing the walls of the establishment by giving it any lower than a three star (electronically, via Yelp review of course).
The service is seemingly slower and not so readily available, but then again if they were always around even during the show, it would be oddly annoying to some that don't need the service. But who cares about them, I wanted my drinks! It would be a different story if I was getting them from the bar, but unfortunately you can only run a tab with your waitress. Fine, I'll mark this gripe as questionable.
Jalapeno poppers for almost eight dollars. I assumed it would be around seven pieces at least...you know, like a dollar a piece right? Five pieces. Ok fine, they were big pieces but I wasn't thoroughly impressed. Like, a three star kind of impression. I do see though that other reviews scream of sacrilege. I believe that because the prices are steep so they expect a real champ coming out of the kitchen.
Maybe it's time to rethink a few things, the establishment science they had when these celebrity titans performed here back in those days were probably tip-top. I just don't think it's conducive to today's needs. But I'm sure hopeful for CoachHouse. I had a blast watching Los Lobos and The Bastard Winos though, thanks for a good time.
"She'd tell me that she loved me, she would forevermore...but that train don't stop here anymore." -Los Lobos
The Coach House is actually a 5 if evaluated on the dimension of a great small venue with really no bad seats in the entire house. Â If you truly love a band, this is an exceptional and somewhat rare opportunity to see them very up close and personal.
The downside is twofold. Â
You get your arm twisted to buy dinner if you want to get reserved seating (ie. the full benefit of the intimacy of the venue). Â The food itself is fine but unremarkable, and there are minimum compulsary requirements for how much you must spend on both food and drinks ($9.95 per person for food and a two drink minimum). Â This part is only a minor annoyance if you are a fan of the evenings act.
The singularly annoying occurrance is the two (yes TWO) opening acts that are standard. Â Recognizing that musical tastes are highly subjective, rather than describe the two opening bands as awful or terrible, let's settle on something less extreme such as "amateurish". Â
The problem is that  this created a period of nearly two hours between dinner and the headline act, where we had already been at the venue for several hours early to participate in dinner to get the better seats. We were also unable to chat or talk amongst ourselves due to the music (and also etiquette, I'm not condoning a lack of respect for the musicians).
This felt like a "gotcha" where frankly the money spent didn't bother us but the unexpected  time investment did.
So basically, if you are somewhat fond of a band or a so-so fan, show up late and hangout at the bar (the view is really good still). Â
If you are a super fan and want an up close view, be prepared to invest in dinner and up to 4 or 5 hours of waiting for the headliner.
This review is only for the dining experience and the place itself. The performance that we went to see was fantastic.
Being able to make a reservation which guarantees us a seat right up front is nice but forcing us to eat their prepared meals is not quite nice but something we had to do in order to be close to the stage.
We ordered the fish special and the new york strip steak. It was ok. Nothing to scream to the world about. The waitress was really nice. When we had questions she didn't know the answers to, she asked around and came back with what we needed to know.
The seating arrangement was pretty uncomfortable. The tables were small and cozy. You had to share the whole table with probably 10 other people and the chairs were old and rickety. For the amount of money paid for their food, you would think that they would invest in some better chairs and not some chairs that you would be afraid to sit, break it and have people stare at you.
The chair lasted the night, the show was fantastic and we had fun.
The Coach House of SJC has been a live concert venue and staple of South Orange County for decades. Â There are numerous weekly live events that range anywhere from local bands to more popular A & B level names people would recognize from their youth to the radio. Â It's not uncommon to see a few bands that survived the 80's to play here as well as many cover/tribute acts.
It's relatively close to the 5 Fwy, although, it is tucked in to an aging industrial park that had it's hey-day in the 70's.  Unfortunately the current owners haven't spent a whole lot on maintenance or décor since then either.  While there is something to be said for legacy  surroundings, aesthetics, and the feeling that goes along with it, it's kinda sad to see that there doesn't appear to be any money going back in to repair stuff, especially furniture.
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Wood backed chairs appear to be left over from the late 70's themselves, with many of them unsafe, wobbly, torn seats, and damaged beyond repair....yet they are still used daily over and over again. Â There are some newer chairs, but they are plastic Rubbermaid chairs you'd find at a gardening center, CVS, or Target for under $10 a piece. Â They aren't there to replace the broken ones, but to 'squeeze' in some additional seating elsewhere. Â Some of the folding 'card' tables that serve as dinner tables show the same wear and tear. Â Really? Â You can't drop a couple of hundred bucks and go out today and replace all the crappy chairs? Â One of the most 'uncomfortable' venues I've ever been too.
Tons of 8'x10' headshots adorn all the walls which are neat to look at. Â A single men's and women's restroom service the 300+ seat venue, usually meaning a long wait for the ladies. Â There's a few private balcony rooms that over look the main stage area, but also look somewhat dated. Â It's like 1984 came and no one has bothered to replace anything since.
Okay, now the food. Â I'll get the easy thing out of the way first: There is a full open bar that serves spirits and beer and pricing is typical. Â Wine on the other hand is of lower quality yet overpriced. Â The menus are Xeroxed on white paper and have requisite appetizers, typical main dishes, a special of the night, and desserts.
I can only imagine the food is made in bulk, assembly line fashion in the back, because not only does it look generic, it tastes generic. Â I picture 'Cookie' a retired line chef from Camp Pendleton, cigarette in mouth, grizzled features, plunking down items from a day camp cafeteria in charge.
Mozzarella sticks were of the frozen Sysco bulk ilk...bleh.
The starter salad is cut iceberg lettuce (not 100% fresh from my few wilting leaves present), shredded carrot & red cabbage with a dollop of industrial ranch dressing. Â Rolls are clearly bagged by the dozen variety.
I chose the 'Spanish Special', a chicken breast to be covered in a traditional Spanish red sauce, topped with green peppers and onions, accompanied by a baked potato and steamed veggies. Â The chicken was nice and moist, and that was the best part. Â My baked potato wasn't completely cooked (raw in the center), my steamed vegetables consisted of six (yes, 6) steamed baby carrots (no butter or herbs), and the 'Spanish sauce'?...so obvious from a 5 gallon tin can, just reheated and throw in some onions, peppers, and a few green olives. Â And all this could be yours for the over the top price of $16.95. Ugh.
Another member in my party had the tilapia topped with pineapple salsa with rice pilaf and veggies. Â She said the fish was fine, but rice had no flavor, and got the same plain steamed carrots.
Okay, so you go to the Coach House to see the acts, not for a fine dining experience. Â I suggest either eating elsewhere before hand, or stick with the chips & salsa and cocktails. Â The menu is designed for quick turnover, not for flavor or culinary satisfaction...you'll get the same taste at a hospital, and possibly cheaper.
I just saw one of my favorites here last night--Citizen Cope. The show was intimate and the sound was good; Cope did not disappoint. However, I won't be back to this venue no matter who plays here.
We made dinner reservations so that we could get "preferred" seating. When I made the reservation over the phone, I asked if the seating was crammed because I am pregnant. They said they could make a note to put me in a spot that wasn't so crowded. When we arrived, I asked if I had an aisle seat because I was pregnant and he said, "oh, you're the one." He did change our seats, but we were escorted to the very last seat near the restrooms. We were center stage so I guess it could be worse. Well, it was for my husband whose seat was jammed up against a pole. (He moved to the end of the table once the show started.)
We check out the "deluxe" menu. By deluxe, I mean a photocopied piece of paper hand cut with scissors. The food was extremely expensive. I settled on the catch of the day and my husband had chicken strips. The food is horrible. It's worse than McDonalds and WAY overpriced. And the drinks? Forget about it. They only had Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, or Sierra Mist--since I'm pregnant and they didn't have anything I cared for--I ordered water. My husband wanted a draft beer, which they didn't have, so he also ordered water. The waitress came back with two 3.50 bottles of water. Yikes!!
Husband finally decided to get some beers--5.00 for domestic which I guess is normal--but good thing he wasn't there to get drunk. It took the waitress forever to bring him new beers. And she would ask him for a beer, he'd say yes, and the next time she came back she would say, "Do you want a beer?" She asked this question when she should have already had the beer there for delivery.
Our tab ended up being 71.00--the tickets to the show cost us $54. I wouldn't mind the prices if the food was good. It was cafeteria food all the way.
Finally the restrooms--disgusting!! No seat liners, some overflowing, wet floors. Just gross.
Coach House--get your act together!
Came here to see Pepper on 02-26-11.
This place f-ing sucks. I cannot begin to express how unsatisfying it is to see a show/concert here. The venue's food and drinks are overpriced and the waitresses talk up the cheap ace fried junk they sell.
Seating in a venue is ridiculous in the first place, but this was just beyond horrible. If you really "have to" come here for a show, please make sure you get dinner reservations about 2 months before the show.
The security and box office workers are just completely braindead (especially security) and/or rude whichever makes more sense. Haha I had no reason to be treated the way security was talking to me.
Please save yourself the time and wait for the band you want to see to play at a different venue.
Never. Ever. Again.
A long overdue review of this establishment that reminded me of those places you see in slasher movies where one by one people are murdered in different ways.
A group of us from our high school days came here to see a friend who opens for other bands quite often. At this venue Jay was opening for Al Stewart- Year of the Cat etc.
I had covered a day shift at the bar and we got there in plenty of time  and, as we approached I think I saw Jason from the Friday the 13th movies and Michael from Halloween waiting in the bushes for unsuspecting patrons.
I needed a drink stat (after a long shift and the ride down in stop & go traffic) and I asked for a Dirty Grey Goose Martini before my meal. I kid you not it was served in a Gimlet glass and it was so small I killed it in one sip-$9 down the drain with no connection from the drink to my brain. Also, after that I went for Heineken's at $6 each and at least they lasted for 10 gulps.
I ordered the Swordfish and God knows what the other stuff was; our server was great and I tipped her well but, the kitchen was slow as a person with (to quote a friend here on Yelp-thanks Sean) Cerebral Palsy trying to climb out of the La Brea Tar Pits.
Great show from the two opening bands and Al Stewart still has it down with all of his songs from the '70s. Also, we were right at the corner of the stage but the seating sucks because my back was towards the stage and I couldn't enjoy my friends while I was constantly turning back and forth.
It was so warm in this place I was sweating like I had been stuck in a sauna for 3 hours with dirty BROKE old men, this with all of the doors open and fans running too.
I felt like I was in:
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DY1g8gv7h_S4&s=ed91e038a7d2dec27b7bcf093b9beca331d75043bc0b8edfe862a636972c648e" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
I have one suggestion for this place:
FIX THE FUCKING CEILING FANS YOU CHEAP BASTARDS!!
We go there last night to see Judy Tenuta. Friday happened to be the second hottest day of the year for all of So Cal, and it was an oven inside that place. I will grudgingly admit that a venue this close to the beach probably doesn't need to be air conditioned... but fercrissakes Coach House, even the beach gets hot during the summer and you have ceiling fans installed.... so why don't they work? Any relief from the searing heat of that room would have been welcome, even that provided by your not spinning CEILING FANS.
The waitress was asked why the fans weren't on. "Oh, they don't work!" was the perky reply.
At least the beer was cold. It better be, at 5 bucks a bottle for Bud. I didn't try any of the food. I tend to lose my appetite when I'm in Hell.
Judy didn't disappoint, in fact, she killed. I loves me some Judy Tenuta.
Do you love live music as much as I do? Do you like to dance and have fun while singing along to your favorite band? Do you enjoy good service and bartenders without an attitude problem? How about friendly and professional staff that won't hassle you, even when you need to go backstage with your all-access pass because you freakin' WORK for one of the bands performing that night?
Then don't ever, ever, ever come to the Coach House.
I don't care how devoted you are to a performer or band. If you have a favorite performer/band playing at the Coach House, there's a very good chance that they're playing somewhere else within 100 miles the night before or the night after. Get in your car and drive there.
So where do I begin with how sucky this place is? Let me start with the most ridiculous thing about it- there are rows and rows of cafeteria type tables in front of the stage. Yes, dead front and center. You know, where most people like to stand and nod their heads, dance, or create mosh pits (just in case Nirvana circa '92 might want to play).
For the love of all things sacred and holy, why does management think that's a really good idea? Why, god, why!?! By the time a band hits the stage, most people are done with their craptastic food and have already downed at least two bottles of piss water (yes, that's right...piss water. They do not have real beer). The least they could do is move the tables before the music starts. Or at least give the band that option.
Here's a news flash to the lame-ass owner/manager:
Unless Enya or Kenny G is playing an acoustic set, people who go see live music will often want to stand and move their bodies. And when the patrons decide to move a few tables in order to do such a thing, don't hassle them in the middle of a show. NO ONE WAS SITTING! Everyone wanted to dance! Who are you people? You're fun-killers, that's who.
When I first arrived, I actually thought I made a wrong turn and ended up in Camp Pendleton. At least three drill sergeants (aka bouncers) ordered me where to go and where to sit. Â I sat down and within a few minutes, I realized I was really hot. I mean, really, really hot. And the music and dancing hadn't even started yet. What a shocker - there's no A/C in the place, but apparently there is a swamp cooler that the owner refuses to turn it on. Oh, and those kitschy fans up on the ceiling? Oh, yeah, they're just decorative. It's the middle of July and it's a packed house full of dancing hippies, you freakin' morons! If you don't turn that shit on the place is going to start smelling like a combination of patchouli and Coors Light! Neither smell is pleasant on it's own so you can imagine what it's like combined. Just go to a Phish show parking lot and you'll have an idea.
The bar is CASH ONLY! Why did I just write that out that in caps? How annoying! I know, but I did it because when you go up to the bar, no matter how many times, the bartender will yell "CASH ONLY!* Yes, we got that the first time. Who's the dumbass here? Oh, yeah, the dude who doesn't get tipped. Why don't you go ahead and remove the Coors Light stuck up your ass.
But speaking of cash, why is it that the roaming waitress, who was actually quite good, would take our credit cards (as long as it wasn't an AMEX, of course)? Huh? Don't make much sense to me.
On the plus side (wait, there is one?) the sound is quite good, even from the side of the stage (which is where anyone who wanted to dance was relegated). Oh, and back stage was quite nice and spacious. But who cares about that unless you're on stage that night?
Just to sum it all up, the Coach House is one of the most poorly managed and dumpy venues I've ever been to. And I've been to a lot of 'em. There are so few live music venues in OC, especially in South County, so I get why a place like this remains popular. There are just not many other options. If people ever wonder why live music fans in the OC infiltrate the scene in LA, LB, SD, or even SF, it's places like the Coach House that are the reason why.
Avoid.
How cool would it be to see one of your favorite artists in an intimate setting, a secret locale that only you and your small group of friends knew about? Maybe somewhere like an impromptu concert hall set up inside of a barn, an empty warehouse, an abandoned ballroom, etc. It'd be really awesome to dance, carouse and swing from the rafters in such a space, surrounded by your merry band of buddies.
Or....
You could pull up to the Coach House --
A faux-horse stable hidden behind bouncers guarding a strip mall parking lot on a lonely stretch of Camino Capistrano between the Mission and a COSTCO.
Imagine you walk into this dark, dank hole of a place from the bright sun of a Southern California day. You are seated at one of a series of long, wooden picnic style tables, not unlike the rows of tables you can find at any Oktoberfest celebration. Temporarily blinded by the sun, it takes a moment to realize that unless you've arrived early and purchased dinner, a seat will pretty much be selected for you. And you'll be sandwiched between skinny, underage drinkers with fake I.D.s and haggard looking Whitesnake devotees enjoying jalapeno poppers and a bottle of domestic beer.
When approached by the waitress, you will order something you'd expect any SoCal bar to have - like a Corona, and you will be denied. Don't you prefer Coors, anyway? Sure you do.
As you wait with eager anticipation for the concert hall to fill up with fellow fans, you realize slowly that the place is half-full only because it was the closest place to drink a Coors and eat jalapeno poppers on a school night. No one else will be coming to your barn party. Oh, no. You and the half-full room of excited-to-have-a-drivers license teenagers and Whitesnake fans are all you've got.
Do they share your love of the band? Do they even know who is playing tonight? Probably not. But, will they whoop and holler at innapropriate moments during the show anyway...right before passing out and having to be dragged out to the parking lot and their waiting extended cab vehicle? Oh, yes!
The lofts (former farmhands, think: corn loft; granary) surrounding the mainstage floor do intrigue you, though. You're sure all manner of Iron Butterfly fans have dropped acid in those very lofts. You aren't sure, however, what has gone on there when Judy Tenuta, Great White, or Leon Redbone rolled through. Who could know these things?
Guess you'll have to check it out for yourselves.
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